Swoop (Hamilton, ON) will add six new B737-8s ahead of the peak summer 2022 season to facilitate planned network growth.
"We saw demand for travel return in a very meaningful way over the holidays, signalling that Canadians are ready to reunite with family and friends. The acquisition of six new aircraft in response to anticipated demand will ensure Swoop reconnects more Canadians this summer while accelerating Canada's economic recovery," Head of Commercial & Finance Bert van der Stege said.
The budget airline currently operates ten B737-800s, which it will retain even with the induction of the MAX 8s. The capacity growth will facilitate Swoop's ambitious plan to add three new destinations in Atlantic Canada to its network - Deer Lake, NL, St. John's, and Saint John. It will also increase its capacity in the region by 273% compared to pre-COVID levels as it sees abundant leisure demand for travel to New Foundland, Labrador, Prince Edward Island, Halifax, and New Brunswick.
Parent carrier WestJet (WS, Calgary) operates fourteen B737-8s and has a further ten on order from Boeing along with thirteen B737-7s, the ch-aviation fleets module shows. Its previous-generation narrowbody fleet comprises thirteen parked B737-600s, forty-five B737-700s, and thirty-eight -800s. All ten of Swoop's B737-800s are transfers from WestJet.
Swoop's expansion comes amidst a belated expansion in Canada's LCC sector, which currently comprises only Swoop and Flair Airlines, but will also feature Canada Jetlines and Lynx Air in due course.
